Knitters as Fair Trade Producers

Knitters as Producers

The knitters had a bittersweet experience with Fair Trade.  One of the greatest impacts Fair Trade had on knitters was the expansion of their capabilities through the development of knitting and organizing skills and the building of self confidence (empowerment).  Fair Trade also helped knitters to realize more opportunities through income generation and the power of regular, group meetings (building public reasoning).  This growth of capabilities and opportunities led to greater freedom for the women (ability to meet outside of the home, control earnings, and manage the family) and a degree of justice was realized.  Knitting participation came at a cost.  There were long hours spent in poor working conditions, emotional stress from work overload (time poverty), unsupportive families, competition, and unpredictable and seasonal orders resulting in a lack of steady work.  Stability it was found is important for improving one’s Quality of Life and the realization of justice.

Though the majority of knitters reported good economic outcomes, the way they were realized, affected the level of which they were enjoyed.  Knitters overwhelmingly had difficulties with a six month payment model for production, even though it helped them to save money and be able to invest into larger things.  Ironically, the only group with this practice (the national norm is monthly pay for knitters and the general public) was the sole Fair Trade institution member.  This payment structure is in violation of the institutional guidelines of fair pay and transparency.  It would be worthwhile to explore this pay system more to understand why and how it came about.  Knitting earnings were invested into children’s wellbeing: education and nutrition, as well as household improvements.

The areas that had greatest positive impact on all knitters was the ability Fair Trade brought them to earn income, a leap in self confidence and empowerment, the development of better time management and knitting skills, and the social support gained from participating in knitting groups.  The greatest challenges were felt in the economic instability associated with irregular orders, a lack of access to regular pay and transparency in pay scales, stress and family strife caused by the need for time to knit and attend meetings, negative health outcomes including feelings of arthritis in hands and shoulders, vision strain, and respiratory ailments from inhaling yarn dust and fibers, and a general lack of understanding of what Fair Trade was and was supposed to do.  It was also noted that Fair Trade did not provide health or employment benefits.  Knitters thought these should be a part of Fair Trade too.

Further research is needed to understand if these benefits and challenges are felt by women Fair Traders in other industries and other countries.  A deeper understanding of the effects of Fair Trade on indigenous women, can help to create a more just and Fair Trade institutional model.  This model can be used as an example for the expansion of Fair Trade into other market sectors influencing government policy, and trade regulation and agreements.  This will be further explored in the next section.